This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on September 5, 2019 - September 11, 2019

KUALA LUMPUR: Yayasan Permata, the brainchild of Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor (pic), has agreed to forfeit RM4.9 million which it received from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

Foundation head Dr Noraisah Spahat acknowledged to High Court Judge Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah that it is not contesting the forfeiture.

Hence, Justice Sequerah allowed the prosecution led by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Deputy Public Prosecutor Nik Haslinie Hashim to recover the amount of RM4.9 million.

“I allow order in terms (of the notice),” he said of the order.

The early childhood foundation had been renamed to Yayasan Genius by the Pakatan Harapan government.

This is the third successful forfeiture made by the MACC after former domestic trade and consumer affairs minister Datuk Seri Hasan Malek and Akademi Pemuda said they are not contesting the action, and allowed the disputed funds in their accounts to be forfeited on Aug 30.

It was reported that the MACC seized RM100,000 from Hasan and another RM428,250 from Akademi Pemuda, which is an entity under Umno.

Besides this, Justice Sequerah was also informed by Nik Haslinie that there are no third-party claimants to the other eight cases yesterday, as the MACC had gazetted the forfeiture notice.

Following that, Justice Sequerah fixed Sept 10 to Nov 5 this year as trial dates.

The eight are businessman Tan Sri Bustari Yusof, former minister Tan Sri Kasitah Gaddam, Jakel Trading, the Liberal Democratic Party of Sabah, Umno Johor liaison committee, Umno Selangor liaison committee, Yayasan PBAKM and Media Edge CIA Malaysia Sdn Bhd.

It was previously reported that the MACC filed the forfeiture action last June to recover some RM265.03 million allegedly from 1MDB.